The Association of Millwall Supportershttp://the-ams.co.uk
92 League Clubs, only 1 Millwall.Wed, 07 Feb 2018 06:42:10 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4The Wonderwall Cup 2018: Charity Football Matchhttp://the-ams.co.uk/the-wonderwall-cup-2018-charity-football-match/
http://the-ams.co.uk/the-wonderwall-cup-2018-charity-football-match/#respondTue, 23 Jan 2018 11:11:37 +0000http://the-ams.co.uk/?p=1418The Wonderwall Cup 2018: Charity Football Match In Aid of Terror Victims In 2017, the UK was subjected to a series of deeply shocking terror attacks, with London and Manchester being the two cities most strongly affected by the atrocities. … Continued

]]>The Wonderwall Cup 2018: Charity Football Match In Aid of Terror Victims
In 2017, the UK was subjected to a series of deeply shocking terror attacks, with London and Manchester being the two cities most strongly affected by the atrocities.
We wanted to put an event together in aid of the victims, their families and the emergency services that fought so bravely to save lives. With that in mind, we’d like to introduce you to The Wonderwall Cup.
The Wonderwall Cup is a charity football event with the sole purpose of bringing these two great cities together in a show of solidarity. We want to celebrate the lives of the people lost in these attacks, as well as the sheer resilience of this country and how we pull together in times of need.
The event will comprise of some fantastic football matches:
– Matches will involve teams compiled of selected members of the North and South emergency services- with members of the police, fire brigade and ambulance service all due to take part.
– The last game will be a special celebrity match, with some absolutely massive names due to be confirmed soon (so watch this space for more info!).
Taking place at the home of Millwall Football Club, The Den, we hope to put on a real show for football fans and anyone that wants to get involved with the charity. The Wonderwall Cup will take place on Sunday 27th May 2018.
Proceeds from the event will be used in aid of the terror attack victims and the emergency services, as we look to defiantly bring these two cities together for one fantastic day.
We’ll be bringing you much more info – including who you can expect to see in the line-ups and the time of the event – very shortly. So, keep your eyes peeled on our social media feeds to keep up to date with what’s happening and how you can get yourself a ticket.
Check back soon!

Willow Winston is a prospective Parliamentary candidate for the Lewisham East constituency standing as an independent, supported by the Association of Millwall Supporters (AMS) under the online banner of #MillwallCommunity

She will be available to meet the press at the Millwall Cafe on Wednesday 17.05.17 at 2:30pm to outline her reasons for standing and to take questions.

Contact – AMS 0208 144 0232 / officialamsgroup@gmail.com

#MillwallCommunity press statement

A borough resident for many years, Willow Winston knows what it is like to be on the receiving end of Lewisham Council’s unhealthy relationship with the British Virgin Island developer ‘Renewal’.

For years she has been threatened by them with losing her home and art studio via a Compulsory Purchase Order in return for a derisory sum in compensation from Renewal who stand to make a significant profit from their proposed New Bermondsey scheme.

Millwall fans stand WITH Willow and will work to support her parliamentary bid.

If Willow is voted in on 8 June 2017, she will:

Welcome regeneration in South London that puts its biggest community asset at heart, Millwall Football Club, rather than allowing the Council to do a private deal with an offshore property company which has no track record of carrying out a development of this scale.

Campaign for Millwall Football Club to be an essential participant in the New Bermondsey Scheme.

Campaign for a more sensitive development that takes into account the local community and appropriately benefits those affected by it.

Campaign across party lines to end the disjointed elected mayoral system in Lewisham which has allowed the same man to remain in power for more than 15 years.

Campaign for New Bermondsey to have a much higher level of affordable housing than the current 10-12% proposed by Renewal which Lewisham Council has surprisingly agreed to. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has set down 35% as the target level for affordable housing on new developments in London and therefore the New Bermondsey scheme needs to be much more ambitious.

Promote education, arts and culture within Lewisham.

Willow Winston

WILLOW WINSTON is an internationally recognised artist based in South Bermondsey and an active defender of a community that she considers under threat by an inappropriate development scheme that does not properly benefit its community.

Her art has been exhibited both in America as well as the UK and appears in collections on both sides of the Atlantic including the V&A. She studied at the Central School of Art & Design in the 1970s and has taught in several universities including Central Saint Martins in the US and the Royal Academy Schools in the UK, as well as in adult education and schools.

In 2000, she acquired a derelict warehouse close to Millwall FC, which she rebuilt into her studio, enabling her to work freely on a scale not possible before.

Willow is a member of the renowned Winston family, which includes her brother Lord Robert Winston, the British professor, medical doctor, scientist, television presenter and Labour Party politician.

Since 2010 Willow has been battling with Lewisham Council and its favoured developer, Renewal, to fight off the proposed Compulsory Purchase Order. Not only would it affect her own work-home premises and other local businesses, but it would also include land leased to Millwall Football Club and the Millwall Community Trust.

Fighting alone initially, she has now received support from both the Club and its supporters since the threat to Millwall and the community surrounding it became apparent. Willow is an active user of the threatened Lions Centre, which houses Millwall’s award winning community scheme.

Willow is standing for Parliament in the Lewisham East constituency, currently held by the former Deputy Mayor of Lewisham and ex Cabinet member for Regeneration, Heidi Alexander.

]]>http://the-ams.co.uk/general-election-2017/feed/0The Association of Millwall Supporters is making an open invitation to all candidateshttp://the-ams.co.uk/association-millwall-supporters-making-open-invitation-candidates/
http://the-ams.co.uk/association-millwall-supporters-making-open-invitation-candidates/#commentsSat, 29 Apr 2017 13:22:22 +0000http://the-ams.co.uk/?p=1340The Millwall General Election The Association of Millwall Supporters is making an open invitation to all candidates standing in the forthcoming General Election for the following constituencies: Lewisham West & Penge – Lewisham East – Lewisham & Deptford – Bermondsey … Continued

The Association of Millwall Supporters is making an open invitation to all candidates standing in the forthcoming General Election for the following constituencies: Lewisham West & Penge – Lewisham East – Lewisham & Deptford – Bermondsey & Old Southwark.

We are calling on the candidates from all of the political parties to make their position clear in relation to our club’s fight to remain in the borough of Lewisham – and at the heart of Bermondsey life.

Our question is simple:

Do you back Millwall FC’s case that it must be included as a participant within any future New Bermondsey regeneration; and thereby to ensure both its and the highly respected Community Scheme’s long term future within the London Borough of Lewisham?
What message do you wish to send to Millwall supporters living in your constituency regarding the club’s fight against Lewisham Council?

All responses will be carried word-for-word on the AMS website as a service to Millwall fans living in each of these Parliamentary seats. Any non replies will also be listed as such.

The Battle of The Den 2017 – where do YOU stand?

First to submit their statement was Neil Coyle Labour MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark.

Many thanks to the Association of Millwall Supporters for the invitation – and for the campaign to keep Millwall local. It was an amazing campaign and I was happy to support you.

I’ve worked with the Millwall Community Trust for some time – on projects to engage more young people in sport and to help young people avoid crime. Millwall leapt in to help Harvey get the treatment for Morquio he needed – and I thank the club for supporting his successful campaign.

I was at the St George’s Day fundraiser at The Den for the Mayor of Southwark’s Common Good Trust last week – which is just one more positive contribution the club makes. I know the club hosts the Irish Pensioners’ annually and makes a huge difference in thousands of people’s lives well beyond the football!

I was happy to work with the club to avoid the previous CPO plans and was pleased to see Labour spokespeople from Mayor Sadiq Khan and our national deputy leader, Tom Watson, speak up for the club. Lewisham council must not put the club at risk and it is essential that any future plans include working with the club.

You claim no one likes you and you don’t care – but it is clear from the campaign and from the huge number of people involved that lots of people like you! And I certainly care that the club and your voice is heard fully in all future plans for the area. I will work with you every step of the way to ensure the future of the club is not put at risk.

The second statement we’ve received is from the Liberal Democrats and is below in full.

We completely and enthusiastically back Millwall Football Club’s case that it must be included as a participant within any future new Bermondsey regeneration; and thereby ensure the long term future both of the club and Millwall Community Trust within SE16 and the London Borough of Lewisham.

Liberal Democrats in Lewisham and Southwark have publicly stood by Millwall FC for years in its battle with Lewisham Council and against the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO).

The Lewisham Labour Mayor and Councillors have now been forced to hold a public inquiry thanks to great pressure from your group, Millwall Supporters Club and many others.

The current regeneration scheme is not fit for purpose for the club, the local community or our part of South East London. The ridiculously small number of affordable homes proposed in the scheme is a disgrace. The cost to council taxpayers is already unacceptable.

We say no to a CPO under any circumstances, now or in the future. Only regeneration that has the support of the club and Millwall Community Trust will be good regeneration for SE16, for Bermondsey and for Lewisham.

As Tim Farron, Simon Hughes and Bobby Dean have said on radio, TV and to the press, we are 100% committed as a party to supporting the club, the trust and supporters in this great campaign.

Sir Simon Hughes (Bermondsey & Old Southwark)

Bobby Dean (Lewisham Deptford)

Emily Frith (Lewisham East)

John Russell (Lewisham West and Penge)

The Green Party is absolutely committed to keeping Millwall FC at their historic stadium in Lewisham. A big part of Green philosophy is localism, so we want fans to be able to travel easily to the ground to support their local team without having to go ridiculous distances. We also want the team to be embedded in our community, offering all the benefits that this brings. Inspiring youngsters to pursue sport and be physically active is good for them and good for the environment. Localism – decisions being taken by people affected at the nearest level to them – is an important Green belief. The situation with the Compulsory Purchase Order proposed earlier this year by Labour’s Lewisham council may have partly arisen due to a monolithic political culture featuring few voices of dissent, where the Green’s John Coughlin is the only opposition councillor. A fundamental lack of transparency has dogged the CPO procedure from the outset, and the apparent inconsistencies and conflicts of interest which continue to surround the Millwall CPO affair are doing material harm to the council’s reputation for fairness and probity. We need to ensure that Millwall are included as a participant in any future New Bermondsey regeneration, and that the upcoming inquiry is transparent and examines the matter impartially and in detail. The Green Party is committed to maintaining Millwall Football Club’s presence in Lewisham at all costs and to reassuring the club that they are a valued and irreplaceable asset in our community.
Cllr. John Coughlin (Green Candidate for Lewisham and Deptford)
Green Party Councillor for Brockley
Member of the New Bermondsey Inquiry Committee

Störm Poorun (Green Candidate for Lewisham East)

Karen Wheller (Green Candidate for Lewisham West and Penge)

John Tyson (Green Candidate for Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Picture to follow.

We’ve now also received this from Jane lawrence From The Realists’ Party.

http://www.therealistsparty.co.uk

Jane lawrence candidate for deptford and lewisham supports millwall in their disagreement with lewisham council.

]]>http://the-ams.co.uk/association-millwall-supporters-making-open-invitation-candidates/feed/2AMS DRAW FOR TWO FREE TICKETS TO THE END OF SEASON DINNER ON AMS TABLEhttp://the-ams.co.uk/ams-draw-two-free-ticket-end-season-dinner-ams-table/
http://the-ams.co.uk/ams-draw-two-free-ticket-end-season-dinner-ams-table/#respondThu, 13 Apr 2017 09:55:05 +0000http://the-ams.co.uk/?p=1332This season is nearly over for another year, this year has been a busy one for Ams leading the charge against Lewisham council and Renewal and would like to thank all the fan base who’s supported us throughout our campaign which … Continued

]]>This season is nearly over for another year, this year has been a busy one for Ams leading the charge against Lewisham council and Renewal and would like to thank all the fan base who’s supported us throughout our campaign which has now gone to a public inquiry.

What we would like to do as a thank you to the members of AMS is to place all current members and any new members who join up before the Wednesday the 19th April a chance to win 2 free tickets to the end of season dinner.

Millwall Football Club is pleased to confirm that its annual End of Season Dinner will be held at The Den on Sunday 23rd April.

Lions legend Brian Horne is set to host what promises to be a memorable evening where fans, players and management come together.

As always there will be the annual presentations made as well as a raffle and auction with plenty of unmissable prizes and lots up for grabs.

Doors to the Executive Lounge will open at 5pm for a drinks reception followed by a delicious three-course meal and – after the awards ceremony, raffle and auction – a live DJ will entertain guests until closing time. Pay-bar facilities will be available throughout.

Click link to join if not already a member

http://the-ams.co.uk/join/

You need to be either a current member or new members need to registered by midnight on Tuesday 18th April to be in the draw for the chance to win 2 free tickets worth £190.

]]>http://the-ams.co.uk/ams-draw-two-free-ticket-end-season-dinner-ams-table/feed/0Proposals for amendments to the MSC constitutionhttp://the-ams.co.uk/proposals-amendments-msc-constitution/
http://the-ams.co.uk/proposals-amendments-msc-constitution/#respondMon, 10 Apr 2017 12:25:01 +0000http://the-ams.co.uk/?p=1328Proposals for amendments to the constitution The following proposals for amendments to the MSC constitution have been submitted for discussion and vote at the AGM. 1. At the time of the election, any current member of the Millwall Supporters’ Club … Continued

The following proposals for amendments to the MSC constitution have been submitted for discussion and vote at the AGM.

1. At the time of the election, any current member of the Millwall Supporters’ Club is eligible to stand for the role of Fan on the Board, provided (s)he is not subject to any club ban or sanction or any football related legal proceedings or sanction. This is a change to existing clause​ 3.4​ which says: Candidates for the role of supporter director must be MSC committee members, with a minimum of twelve months’ continuous service, a satisfactory attendance record, and not subject to any MFC restrictions, at the time the election is called.

2. The term for the role of Fan on the Board shall commence on the first day of the football season following the election and end on the final day of the second full season (including any play off matches) following the election. This is a new clause.

3. Any one individual can serve a maximum of only two terms as Fan on the Board. These can be consecutive or non consecutive terms. This is a new clause.

4. Any current member of the Millwall Supporters’ Club is eligible to stand for the role of Chair of the MSC. This is a change to existing clause​ 4.4​ which says: Candidates for the role of MSC chairman must be MSC committee members, with a minimum of twelve months’ continuous service, a satisfactory attendance record, and not subject to any MFC restrictions.

Join the MSC Committee

We have vacancies on the Millwall Supporters Club committee, so please come forward if you would like to help.

If you have skills we can use then so much the better but wanting to help your fellow fans is the most important. If you have any experience of writing, graphics, websites, taking notes, or even Facebook and Twitter then you can help. There are also opportunities to get involved with Lions Live, Man of the Match presentations and other matchday activities. We meet one evening a month during the season and occasionally during the summer.

If you think you could help us, or would like to find out more, please contact us by 12th April either by post (to The Den) or email info@millwallsupportersclub.co.uk.

]]>http://the-ams.co.uk/proposals-amendments-msc-constitution/feed/0Ams Letter to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Governmenthttp://the-ams.co.uk/ams-letter-to-the-secretary-of-state-for-communities-and-local-government/
http://the-ams.co.uk/ams-letter-to-the-secretary-of-state-for-communities-and-local-government/#respondSun, 26 Feb 2017 22:14:42 +0000http://the-ams.co.uk/?p=1316The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 2 Marsham St, Westminster, London SW1P 4DF February 26th 2017 Dear Sir, The Lewisham CPO Inquiry We write to you in your capacity as Secretary of … Continued

]]>The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
2 Marsham St,
Westminster,
London SW1P 4DF
February 26th 2017

Dear Sir,

The Lewisham CPO Inquiry

We write to you in your capacity as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, requesting your intervention in the recently announced Lewisham Council inquiry into the cancelled Compulsory Purchase Orders at the ‘New Bermondsey’ scheme in London SE16.

As you may be aware, the stadium lands surrounding Millwall FC’s Zampa Road ground were recently the subject of an attempted CPO by Lewisham Council, acting in partnership with ‘Renewal’ – the developer behind the proposed New Bermondsey regeneration scheme.

Renewal are a little known company set up by a former Lewisham mayor and an ex council officer. The ultimate ownership is unclear and is masked by both Isle of Man and British Virgin Island registration. Furthermore the company has no track record of regeneration on this scale; and there is no clear reason why it received the preferred status that Lewisham has granted it.

Following the announcement by Millwall FC in January 2017 that the enforced sale of its leased stadium lands to Renewal would place its highly respected community scheme, its football academy status and indeed its very presence in the Borough of Lewisham in jeopardy, a vociferous social media took place opposing Lewisham’s stance.

During the course of that protest, information emerged in The Guardian newspaper that false claims of funding by Sport England had been made by the Surrey Canal Sports Foundation. This being a charity created by Renewal to manage the proposed sports facility at the heart of the regeneration scheme. Indeed they appear to have disregarded a specific cease and desist request by Sport England in 2014. We understand the Charity Commission are currently looking into the actions of the SCSF, upon which Mayor Bullock sat as a trustee director until very recently.

To compound matters, these false funding and other partnership claims were repeatedly used by Lewisham Council in support of a successful £20m Greater London Authority Housing Zone application in 2015.

Thankfully the social media campaign and consequent bad publicity forced Lewisham to cancel the CPO process and announce an externally led investigation into the matter. This to include possible breaches of council employment and members codes.

Our concern however is that the terms of the inquiry have been framed by Lewisham in order to minimize further damage to its reputation, rather than seek the truth of this scandal.

Most worryingly, not only the directly elected Mayor Steve Bullock, but also the Deputy Mayor Alan Smith and the Chief Executive Barry Quirk will be remaining in post during the investigation. This despite each being active witnesses to any robust investigation.

There are many other areas of concern, not least the lack of diligence, the overriding of Lewisham’s own Scrutiny and Overview Committee’s criticisms and the previously mentioned historic links between the council and Renewal. Linkages that extend further back than the arbitrary start date of 2011 defined within Lewisham’s announced terns of reference.

We are asking for DCLG intervention, using any available powers, to ensure this scandal is properly and fully investigated.

As a minimum, Bullock, Smith and Quirk should not be allowed to remain in post during the course of any inquiry. Each will be witnesses and possible defendants to a false claim for public grant of £20m. A grant which, if if it had been successful, would have facilitated the construction of a scheme estimated to value some £2bn on completion.

Natural justice and conventional rules of investigation cannot take place with these three very senior figures still in place at Lewisham Town Hall.

We ask that each be suspended until exonerated – or otherwise – by the proposed investigation.

We also ask for the terns of investigation at Lewisham be widened to cover the wider areas mentioned in this letter.

Thank you for any assistance or intervention that you can offer.
Yours sincerely
Nick Hart – AMS Spokesman

]]>http://the-ams.co.uk/ams-letter-to-the-secretary-of-state-for-communities-and-local-government/feed/0AMS Statement 3-2-2017http://the-ams.co.uk/ams-statement-3-2-2017/
http://the-ams.co.uk/ams-statement-3-2-2017/#commentsFri, 03 Feb 2017 21:02:20 +0000http://the-ams.co.uk/?p=1306AMS STATEMENT – 03.02.17 Further to today’s Lewisham council statement claiming that the New Bermondsey scheme Compulsory Purchase Order threat ‘has no force and cannot be implemented’, the AMS agrees that matters ‘couldn’t be clearer’. It could not indeed be … Continued

Further to today’s Lewisham council statement claiming that the New Bermondsey scheme Compulsory Purchase Order threat ‘has no force and cannot be implemented’, the AMS agrees that matters ‘couldn’t be clearer’.

It could not indeed be clearer that the statement stops short of eliminating the possibility that a fresh decision by the council could restart the process

Possibly in the aftermath of whatever investigation into this scandal actually takes place.

So let us be crystal clear in return:

There is a deep mistrust and anger toward the current Catford Town Hall regime amongst Millwall fans.

Too much water has flowed under the bridge for Mayor Bullock to remain a player in this process and we look for him to be gone – as soon as possible.

In order for the club and its community scheme to be truly at the heart of the much needed regeneration of South Bermondsey,

It must be announced publicly by who ever leads Lewisham, that the CPOs will never be revisited – ever.

No hazy words. No phrases that can be read two ways. No more double speak.

Crystal clear and in the open. Lewisham must put Millwall FC and the award winning community scheme at the HEART of any future plans – which will be undertaken by agreement only.

AMS enquiries have revealed that:

1 – Mayor Bullock is in breach of the Members’ Code of Conduct, as published. This is already the current subject of an internal inquiry and the results for the same provide ample grounds for the LB of Lewisham to achieve the pre-requisites outlined above. This can be done in compliance with the Council’s published codes.

2 –The capital pledges published by Renewal are predominantly bogus. Where they are bona fide, they have been based upon false claims and exaggeration. This is also subject to an internal inquiry and we look forward to receiving its findings in due course.

3 – The activities of the Surrey Canal Sports Foundation, in so far as they have been active at all, duplicate the provision of the pre-existing facilities and even go so far as to divert from existing, well-respected, charitable activities which achieve LBL’s aspirations within that particular realm of Public Policy.

4 – In addition to being widely discredited as an institution, SCSF has been placed there by and solely for the benefit of, the proponents of the CPO scheme.

5 – A web of pre-existing relationships and conflicts of interest exist, even with the most cursory of examinations with regard to particular LBL officers and elected politicians. The overwhelming majority of that material has not yet been circulated. However, the current situation is entirely unacceptable and the AMS will cite as evidence the same, either before the Court – or at Inquiry in due course.

“Until real change in leadership, proposals and approach at the London Borough of Lewisham, the AMS fight continues”

Trustees Report P2. “The SCSF was established in 2010 to develop and run……” – What is the ‘SCSF’ that was established in 2010? The company was only incorporated on 9 February 2012.

Trustees Report P3. “The SCSF has identified 30 top prospects for Capital funding and made approaches to four potential funders” – Who are these four?

Later, same page: “The SCSF has secured in principle Capital support from Sport England, Renewal (the development company….) and the London Boroughs of Lewisham and Southwark.” Are these the four potential funders?

Specifically, who is ‘Renewal’? Renewal Limited? Renewal (Holdings) Limited? And in which territory is ‘Renewal’ incorporated? The UK? The Isle of Man?

Mushtaq Malik was appointed on 31/1/12 and resigned on 29/6/12. His resignation was lodged at Companies House on 5/11/12. Jordana Malik was a Trustee throughout. The Financial Statements for the period ended 29/2/12 were approved by the Trustees on 3/12/12. These facts are relevant when considering the Prior Period Adjustment, below.

SCSF disclosed receipt of Voluntary income (donations) for the period of £48,269. Its accounting policy associated with Incoming resources states “Income from donations, grants and gifts is included in incoming resources when these are receivable and the charity is entitled to receipt. (my italics) This is relevant when considering the Prior Period Adjustment, below.

Administration fees of £20,000 were paid in the period. To whom were these paid?

Marketing costs of £16,735 were paid in the period. To whom were these paid?

There is no related party disclosed in the Accounts. Can the Trustees confirm that there is no connection between the Malik family, two of whom served as Trustees during the year, and the “Renewal Group”?

Year ended 28 February 2013.

Salient points/questions:

Trustees report, P3. “In April 2013 SCSF signed a lease for the use of Unit 2 Stockholm Road…” Who was the lease signed with, and what are the terms?

Trustees report, P4. “In October 2013 Sport England wrote to the Foundation explaining that the £2,000,000 pledged will be moved (sic.) from their Iconic Facilities Fund (which is coming to an end) to their lottery funding allocation allowing it to remain available to the Foundation indefinitely. (my italics). The London

Borough of Lewisham has made an ‘in principle’ agreement to make a capital contribution of circa £420,000 to SCSF. The necessary legal work has also begun with Renewal Group Ltd to ensure that the land required for the Sports Halls is vested to SCSF.” Where is the capital support from Renewal, mentioned in the 2012 Accounts?

Accounting Policies, Basis of preparation P10: “The Charity is reliant on the support of Renewal Limited and has obtained written assurance from Renewal Limited that they will not withdraw funds due to them until sufficient alternative funds are available.” On the basis of this support, the Trustees drew up the accounts on a Going Concern basis. Without it, SCSF would has clearly been insolvent. What precisely was the written assurance from Renewal; what would Renewal do about the advance if sufficient alternative funds were not made available?

P12 Notes to the accounts:

In 2013, the prescribed accounting treatment of Prior period adjustments was set out in Financial Reporting Standard (FRS) 3, ‘Reporting Financial Performance’. The relevant extracts from FRS3 are set out below.

“60 ……The majority of items relating to prior periods arise mainly from the corrections and adjustments which are the natural result of estimates inherent in accounting and more particularly in the periodic preparation of financial statements. They are dealt with in the profit and loss account of the period in which they are identified and their effect is stated where material. They are not exceptional or extraordinary merely because they relate to a prior period; their nature will determine their classification. Prior period adjustments, that is prior period items which should be adjusted against the opening balance of retained profits or reserves, are rare and limited to items arising from changes in accounting policies or from the correction of fundamental errors.

61 Estimating future events and their effects requires the exercise of judgement and will require reappraisal as new events occur, as more experience is acquired or as additional information is obtained. Because a change in estimate arises from new information or developments, it should not be given retrospective effect by a restatement of prior periods. Sometimes a change in estimate may have the appearance of a change of accounting policy and care is necessary to avoid confusing the two.

62 omitted – relates to change in accounting policy)

63 In exceptional circumstances it may be found that financial statements of prior periods have been issued containing errors which are of such significance as to destroy the true and fair view and hence the validity of those financial statements. The corrections of such fundamental errors and the cumulative adjustments applicable to prior periods have no bearing on the results of the current period and they are therefore not included in arriving at the profit or loss for the current period.

They are accounted for by restating prior periods, with the result that the opening balance of retained profits will be adjusted accordingly, and highlighted in the reconciliation of movements in shareholders’ funds. As the cumulative adjustments are recognised in the current period, they should also be noted at the foot of the statement of total recognised gains and losses of the current period.”

SCSF received £48,269 in the previous period. In the 2012 Accounts, this receipt was treated as “Voluntary income – receipt”, i.e. a donation to SCSF.

This wastreated as income in accordance with the accounting policy set out in 1f above “Income from donations, grants and gifts is included in incoming resources when these are receivable and the charity is entitled to receipt.”

It can be inferred from the statement in 2c above that this ‘donation’ was received from Renewal (I’m not sure which company though).

It is believed that Mr./Ms. Malik are closely connected to the Renewal companies.

As Trustees of SCSF, they would have been involved with the preparation and discussion of the financial statements for 2012 (although Mr Malik had resigned before they were formally approved).

Therefore, why was a £48,269 receipt, very visible as one of the few transactions in the period and received from a company with close connections to the Malik family, treated as unconditional income in the 2012 Accounts of SCSF and then ‘reclassified as a loan’ to SCSF in 2013?

Given the connection, what were the Trustees not aware of in December 2012 that they later learned that, in accordance with FRS3 was “of such significance as to destroy the true and fair view and hence the validity of those financial statements”? When and how did they become aware of the need to change income into a loan, and why were they not aware of this in December 2012 when they signed off the 2012 Accounts?

Administration fees of £24,600 were paid in the year. To whom were these paid?

Marketing costs of £57,455 were paid in the year. To whom were these paid?

A Charity is supposed to be an organization that acts as a conduit, collecting funds from willing donors and dispersing them to needy beneficiaries. It is not supposed to be a business that takes risks by being undercapitalised. How can the Trustees spend money they do not have? Given that the fund balances moved from £901 in hand at February 2012 to £139,448 in deficit at February 2013, why did the Trustees not insist that Renewal’s ‘support’ of a deferred loan be regularized as a donation?

– Controversial charity at the heart of the Millwall stadium campaign generates new questions

– Mystery £48,000 donation in 2012 reclassified as a loan a year later

– Huge debts racked up repayable to ‘Renewal’

– Further questions for beleaguered Mayor

Following last Wednesday’s dramatic climbdown by Lewisham Mayor Sir Steve Bullock over the Millwall FC Compulsory Purchase Orders, more question marks have emerged over the finances of a centrepiece charity upon which he serves.

The Surrey Canal Sports Foundation, chaired by Steve Norris and whose board contains both Bullock and Southwark Council leader Peter John, sits at the heart of the now halted New Bermondsey scheme.

The announcement that the CPO process has been stopped in the face of overwhelming fan pressure, leaves open the possibility for a newly elected council to revive the plans after elections in 2018.

Publicly available accounts lodged at Companies House however, raise serious questions over financial management of the charity.

Only two items of income have ever been recorded by the charity: a £48,269 donation in 2012 and another of £5,000 in 2013.

Who made the £48,269 donation in 2012 is not clear. However bizarrely it was reclassified as a repayable loan in the 2013 accounts.

Given that only two income transactions have ever been received during the existence of the charity, questions as to how a loan can have been been mistaken for the distinctly different concept of a donation, will be central to the Charity Commission’s inquiries.

During the five years of its existence, SCSF has only generated £53,000 income, despite being committed to very high rents of £156,000 per year for its premises in Stockholm Road SE16.

In 2012 the charity made a large donation proportionate to its income of £10,000 to the Team GB Olympic squad.

The 2016 accounts show the SCSF as being over £805,000 in debt, all of which is repayable to Renewal upon receipt of future public funding. This is listed in the accounts as being expected to come from the London Boroughs of Southwark, Lewisham and the Greater London Authority.

The accounts are signed off by the former London Mayoral candidate Steven Norris and the daughter of the owner of Renewal, Jordana Malik. All directors including Bullock and Malik representing the proposed future funding authorities will retain a collective responsibility of due care and diligence.

]]>http://the-ams.co.uk/controversial-charity-at-the-heart-of-the-millwall-stadium-campaign-generates-new-questions/feed/1Ams Statement Regarding Today’s CPO decisionhttp://the-ams.co.uk/ams-statement-regarding-todays-cpo-decision/
http://the-ams.co.uk/ams-statement-regarding-todays-cpo-decision/#commentsWed, 25 Jan 2017 18:43:47 +0000http://the-ams.co.uk/?p=1280AMS statement 25.01.17 Today’s surprise announcement by Lewisham Mayor Steve Bullock that the Compulsory Purchase Order threat over The Den has been lifted will come as very welcome news. Let us be under no illusion however. The politicians of Lewisham … Continued

Today’s surprise announcement by Lewisham Mayor Steve Bullock that the Compulsory Purchase Order threat over The Den has been lifted will come as very welcome news.

Let us be under no illusion however. The politicians of Lewisham Council have not folded like a deck of cards this week because of any sense of the essential wrongness of their position.

No, they have forced into a humiliating climbdown because of the sheer weight of public pressure.

Pressure from the Millwall Family. Pressure from fans from the wider world. Pressure from ordinary members of the public who see a need to make a stand.

Let us be clear: Steve Bullock has been the driving force behind the discredited New Bermondsey scheme from the very start. He has embarrassed the proud role of Mayor of Lewisham and his position is consequently untenable.

Any new beginning. Any rebuilding of trust. Any restatement of the great value to the borough that our beloved club and its wonderful community scheme brings, is entirely dependent on his resignation.

Until then sadly, we continue our research into all aspects of this sorry affair. Not least the background of the favoured ‘Renewal’ developer and its web of foreign based ownership.

Today powerful local politicians were forced to eat humble pie, to back down and to put a temporary stop to their plans, by YOU.

This coming Sunday we have a fantastic opportunity at home to Watford in the FA Cup to show the world what being a Millwall fan means. In fact, why not declare this Sunday to be VIL Day?